This udon store, Kameya, is one of the many small stores that make up Omoide-yokocho (思い出横丁), a alley near Shinjuku Station. Omoide-yokocho literally translates to "Memory Lane," although I've heard it being called worse.
It's not the cleanest place on earth, that's for sure. But this small corner of Shinjuku is like stepping back to the 1950s and for that reason it is quite popular with many locals. People would drop by here after a Nomikai, to either continue drinking into the night or to finish the night off with a bowl of noodles.
Which is just what my co-workers and I did one night. Not sure how it usually tastes, but the udon was absolutely delicious at 2 a.m.
A good noodle soup is tasty at any time of day! I like the simplicity of this place.
ReplyDeleteWhat a cute little place!
ReplyDeleteoh! i wish i could give that a try sometime,bec. i;m sure it doesn't taste like no-cook ramen noodles. ^0^
ReplyDeleteYour photo has a very 50's feel to it!!! Nomikai sounds like the office get together at Happy Hour here in the states!!!
ReplyDeleteYep. A few memories. I don’t know though, rather than “P*ss Lane” as stated here I seem to recall that another closely akin term tripped across the tongue in a way more like golden dewdrops—“P*ss Alley.”
ReplyDeleteI had a Chinese “friend” who worked as a waitress in one of these joints. A decade and a half later I burst out with a laugh in a movie theater when it turned out the heroine of “House of Flying Daggers” had the same name—Xiao Mei.
Think I’ll go play a shakuhachi solo of the theme song. By the way, the erhu player, Jia Peng Fang, used to play in Shinjuku Station Keio Line 改札口 when he first came to Japan. Man, I loved his playing.
I am sure your dirtiest part of town are always cleaner then our best ones... I like the place, simple and welcoming and at 2am I will be ready to try almost any kind of food!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful place to spend time, meeting friends, life. Thank you for this escape. Please have a good Tuesday.
ReplyDeletedaily athens
I don't do drinking into the night any more, but I'd sure go for udon!
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a fun place. I'm not sure I'd want to be walking around my city at 2 in the morning any more, but I could just be too paranoid. But anything tastes delicious at that hour of the day!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love to eat what the locals eat so 私は行きたい！
ReplyDeleteThank you all for your comments! Omoide-yokocho has a really great atmosphere, and if you don't mind the small quarters, I recommend you pop by if you're ever here :-D
ReplyDeleteTheCheiftess, you may be right! Except we do 'nomikai' with just about anyone ;D
VP, "I am sure your dirtiest part of town are always cleaner then our best ones" - haha! So funny!
Evelyn, 行こうよ！ They also have many yakitori & motsu vendors ;D
Then that clinches it!!! We do Happy hour with just about anyone!!!
ReplyDeleteTheChieftess, then Happy hour it is!!! lol. Sounds MUCH better than just "drink party" :D
ReplyDeletegreat night shot
ReplyDeleteI'm sure this is a MUST!
ReplyDeleteand this is a great night street-photography shot!
I'm so hungry now! My favorite is udon and occasionally cold soba for a hot summer day.
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